1999 BMW 740Ia

Routine

Owners filed 2 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the vehicle speed control › accelerator pedal. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails

Component	Reports		Crashes	Fires	Injuries
Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal	1		0	0	0
Fuel System, Gasoline	1		0	0	0

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports

Electrical System › 12v/24v/48v Battery › Cables99V004000

Filed Jan 4, 19991,615 vehiclesBayerische Motoren Werke

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE THICKNESS OF THE MAIN POSITIVE ELECTRICAL CABLE (GENERATOR TO STARTER) INSULATION IS LESS THAN SPECIFIED, MAKING IT SUSCEPTIBLE TO BEING ABRADED OR CUT BY THE CLIP THAT SECURES THE CABLE TO THE GENERATOR.

Risk. THE CABLE INSULATION CAN BE WORN AWAY, EXPOSING THE WIRE. THE WIRE COULD CONTACT THE CLIP OR A SHORT CIRCUIT COULD OCCUR.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL APPLY A THICKNESS OF INSULATING TAPE TO THE CABLE IN THE AREA OF THE CLIP, AND INSTALL A REVISED CLIP.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission99V005000

Filed Jan 4, 1999249 vehiclesBayerische Motoren Werke

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 5HP24 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. PREMATURE WEAR OF THE RING GEAR CAN OCCUR, LEADING TO THE LOSS OF 1ST, 2ND, 3RD, AND REVERSE GEARS.

Risk. IF THIS PROBLEM OCCURS, THE CAR MAY NO LONGER OPERATE IN REVERSE, 1ST, 2ND, OR 3RD GEARS.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.

What owners reported

Newest filings

Fuel System, Gasoline

Filed Jul 16, 2010127,000 milesOR

LEAKING FUEL LINE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT CLOSE TO EXHAUST. LEAKING FUEL IS ALSO VAPORIZED AND FUMES GET INTO VEHICLE AND CAUSE DISCOMFORT AND NAUSEA. FUMES COULD IGNITE HARMING OCCUPANTS AND OTHERS ON THE ROADWAY. THIS IS VERY COMMON FOR OWNERS OF THE BMW E38 AND MANY OTHER MODELS. WHAT I HAVE FOUND IS A DEFECTIVE CLAMP/CLAMPS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON RIGHT HAND DRIVE MODELS. CONTACTED BMW NA FOR HELP ON ISSUE. NO HELP. *TR

Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal

Filed Feb 27, 2003100 milesCA

THE GAS PEDAL IS AT A POOR POSTION, MY WIFE PATRICIA AND MYSELF GET LEG CRAMPS FROM DRIVING OUR 740 IA AFTER A SHORT TIME.*JB

2 of 2 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1999

Year	Complaints	Recalls	Assessment
1999 — this page	2	2	Routine
1998	1	1	Routine
1995	0	1	Routine
1994	1	1	Routine
1993	0	1	Routine
1992	0	1	Routine
1991	0	1	Routine
1990	0	1	Routine

Compare every 740Ia year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Jan 4, 1999. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.